Highlights from ACTE Dallas

From a one-of-a-kind party in a Dreamliner to indoor picnics, the ACTE conference in Dallas offered an exciting look at the future of corporate travel.

The buyer perspective

Buyers met on Sunday and shared their concerns to the group: a desire to be strategic but getting caught up in the transactional, championing change as a team of one, and shifting success measurement from cost-savings to traveler satisfaction.

American Express GBT President, Christine Ourmieres, succinctly captured the shift: consumers have come to expect more personalized, easy to use products and services.

Technology was identified as a primary vehicle manage change. Successful teams are using internal social tools for feedback, leveraging better data and analytics, and supporting the new expectations of the millennial workforce.

Leveraging new technology

Monday’s Sharing Economy session with Salesforce, Guggenheim Partners, AirBnB, and Lyft tackled the logistics of championing new technology. While safety remains a top concern for buyers, Lyft has addressed concerns with a first of its kind $1 million commercial insurance policy on every ride, a 24/7 trust and safety team, background checks, and enterprise account management.

From Salesforce travel manager Dorian Stoney’s perspective, sharing economy services have been positively received across Salesforce’s global workforce by giving travelers more options and convenience. For travel managers, the rich data, cost savings, and integration with expense management systems have helped these services become strategic innovations in their corporate travel programs.

The future of travel

This rapid rate of change we’re experiencing today is only expected to accelerate in the coming years. General Motors President, Dan Ammann, has stated that, “There is going to be more change in the world of mobility in the next five years than there has been in the last 50.”

It was only fitting that the conference closed out with Lyft’s Chief Business Officer, David Baga, looking to the future of corporate travel. They concluded the conference with a call to action for both travel managers and suppliers to focus on building programs that deliver employee satisfaction, safety, and customizability.

In three jam packed days of sessions, two nights of libations, and one epic conference, ACTE showed us just how quickly corporate travel is changing. For companies looking to explore ridesharing for corporate travel or learn more about the custom Lyft transportation solutions, please visit us online today.